Rise
by Salemsoriginal99
Summary: Second in the Stand Trilogy. Hogwarts has fallen and now the only hope is that the trio sticks together. But odds are against them as Draco Malfoy's plans tear the wizarding world apart. Will they rise to the occasion or will the Death Eaters ruin it all?
1. Wait

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

_Waiting is a trap. There will always be reasons to wait. The truth is, there are only two things in life, reasons and results, and reasons simply don't count._ **-Robert Anthony**

Ginny looked up from her place in the chair and watched as Bellatrix slipped into the old Potions room, her black robes billowing behind her.

"Draco seems pretty bent on letting you live," Bellatrix said silkily, her cold dark eyes watching Ginny as she folded her arms across her chest and placed her feet on Snape's desk.

"I assume he has a reason," Ginny replied coolly, not wanting to let the woman see the fear that had been coursing through her veins the moment she woke up.

Bellatrix stopped before the desk and crossed her arms as well. "I'd rather see you in pain," she growled.

Ginny stood up and walked over to Bellatrix, a smile on her face. "To bad, because as long as Malfoy doesn't get Harry, you can't touch me."

Bellatrix shook her head and started to circle Ginny, sizing her up. "You are so naïve. Just because I can't touch you does not mean Draco won't." She stopped right behind Ginny and leaned in so that her lips grazed Ginny's ear. "You've grown up, Weasley and no matter how much you might not realize it; you've caught the physical eye of Draco Malfoy."

"If I have his physical eye, what do you have?" Ginny asked softly, noting the miniscule hint of jealousy in Bellatrix's voice.

Bellatrix smiled, running her hands through Ginny's red hair. "His heart… just like you own Potter's," she whispered into Ginny's ear before pulling away and leaving.

* * *

"We were able to stop the bleeding in time," Healer Grossman told the Weasleys and Ron as they all stood in the waiting room of St. Mungos. "But it seems that the curse infected other parts of the body-"

"Is she ok?" Ron interrupted for the second time since the Healer had stepped into the room.

Grossman sighed. "Mr. Weasley. Ms. Granger is lucky to even be alive at this point. If the curse had actually hit its target she would have died on the train."

"But she's alive?" Harry asked.

The Healer nodded. "Barely. We've started her on blood replenishing potions and some other potions to relieve the pain, but like I said, the curse was not just to cause the outer pain. It's moved throughout her entire body-"

"So what are you saying Healer?" Mrs. Weasley cut in, growing anxious with the prolonged banter.

Grossman looked at them all and took a deep breath. "Hermione might not make it. Even after we've stopped the bleeding the curse has already done enough damage to render her helpless to fight against any infections she might have picked up on the train due to the dead bodies that had been transported on it. We'll know by tomorrow."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, not liking the way he said it.

"Hermione… Hermione might not make it through the night," Grossman told them before turning to leave.

Harry reached out and stopped him. "Wait… can we see her?" he asked, his voice hoarse from shock.

Healer Grossman shook his head. "She's in critical care. You won't be able to see her. I'm sorry," he apologized before leaving.

* * *

Draco lounged in the Slytherin common room, eyes closed as he listened to the people mill around, laughing and whispering. The news of the Hogwarts Express arriving at Kings Cross had angered him and he had sent several men out for Warrington. The young man was now in the dungeons along with all the other students and would be left there until he learned his lesson.

"Draco."

Not bothering to open his eyes, he sighed, annoyed that she picked this particular moment to talk to him.

"What?" he asked in a deceitfully calm voice.

Pansy plucked up her courage and sat down next to him, glancing around at the other younger people hanging out.

"We need to talk," she whispered.

"By talk, I suppose you mean…"

"Why do you allow Lestrange to control you?" she asked quickly.

Draco's eyes flashed dangerously and Pansy backed up a little on the couch, knowing that his temper was likely to change at any moment.

"Is that what they say? She's controlling me?"

Pansy shrugged, masking her fear of him with the coldness she felt for the woman who had taken her place in Draco's bed.

"I'm not the only one who thinks she's using you for her own gain, Blaise thinks-"

"I don't care what you all think," Draco growled, his stormy grey eyes boring into her. "And you have no business thinking about it."

"I used to be the woman in your life, Draco."

"And now I am."

Pansy turned in horror to see Bellatrix standing there with two older men around her age. She was glaring at Pansy through dark mad eyes. Draco smiled and stood, moving over to her.

"I'll be in later," he whispered before leaving the common room with five others. Pansy stood up and instantly a group of hesitant girls surrounded her out of loyalty, though three of them looked as if they'd rather not be there.

Bellatrix moved over to the fire where she stopped. "Now, if you have a problem with me, then I suggest you talk to me about it and not Draco."

"Ok. I think you're a bitch," Pansy started, feeling a sudden sense of anger come over her, which, at the moment, outweighed her sense of fear for the dangerous woman near the fire.

Bellatrix smiled and turned towards Pansy. "I can see why Draco didn't like you. Not very nice manners," she said in a voice too sweet to be real.

Pansy looked Bellatrix over in disgust. "Well, Draco did like the occasional whore."

Bellatrix shook her head, giving Pansy a pathetic look. "Sticks and stones, my dear, are for juveniles. Draco's moved away from little girls to a woman who can handle him."

"You don't care about him, though."

Bellatrix let out a laugh. "Do you think I shag Draco because I love him? He's seventeen and still green. He knows I'm not interested but knows that I'm the only one who can help him."

"You trade sex for information?" Pansy asked, disgusted.

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow. "I would have pegged you for a girl who just shagged for fun," she said with a smirk.

"Well, at least I don't use my whole body as a bargaining chip," Pansy shot back.

Bellatrix approached Pansy, shaking her head. "You poor little rich girl…" she whispered before leaning in so that only Pansy could hear. "The next time I catch you near Draco, I will peel the flesh off of those pretty little fingers of yours," she growled before leaving.

* * *

Moody looked up when an Auror entered his office.

"Any news?" was Moody's automatic question.

The Auror nodded. "We've gotten news from some officials that Draco Malfoy contacted them and told them to tell the Minister that since the Hogwarts Express was stolen from them, that we're running out of time to save the captives."

Moody slammed his fist down. "Running out of time! We don't even know what they want!" he roared.

"What do we do?" the Auror asked hesitantly.

Moody sighed and looked down at all the papers on his desk. "We wait…"

**A/N: I hope you like this! **

**Chapter Tease:**

_"You're that scared?" he asked, genuinely surprised by Ron's feelings towards the whole Hermione thing. _

_Ron looked up, confused. "What?" _

_Bill pointed at Ron. "Hermione. You're scared that she might die."_


	2. Slow Down

**A/N: I absolutely love this story!**

_Life is a quest and love a quarrel ..._ **-Edna St. Vincent Millay**

There are moments in life where time slows down and everything fades into nothingness. It's a time where you are no longer listening to the sounds of life but the sounds of your soul and are able to get some peace.

Ron found himself in that moment while he stared out his window the same night after finding out that Hermione might die.

Harry was already asleep but tossing fitfully in the bed opposite Ron's, the nightmares of war past and war present playing out devilishly in his mind.

Ron rested his forehead against the cool glass and closed his eyes, his chest constricting painfully.

The threat of death had never really bothered Ron until now. Well, bothered was putting it lightly. The thought of death _bothered_ Ron. The threat of death to Hermione ate away at Ron like the curse that was eating away at Hermione.

Would she survive the night or would she die before he ever got to tell her how he really felt. He had wanted to tell her at the Shrieking Shack but she had stopped him, expecting them all to make it back.

Ron ran his hands through his unkempt hair and got up, going out of the room and down the stairs. He had just entered the kitchen when he stopped himself, his face going completely red with embarrassment.

There in front of him was Bill and Fleur. Fleur was sitting on the counter, wearing a bathrobe which was hanging off one shoulder. Bill was standing between her legs, kissing her exposed shoulder reverently while one of his hands rested on her thigh, massaging it as he kissed her glowing skin. Fleur was just sitting there, her hand covering the hand Bill had on her thigh, her eyes closed in pleasure.

The scene might have actually been bearable if it didn't remind Ron so much of what he didn't have.

"Ahem," he coughed loudly, looking away from the sweet sight.

The couple looked up in surprise and spotted Ron standing there. Fleur hopped off the counter, pulling the robe she was wearing back over her shoulder and wrapping it more carefully around herself. She gave Bill a kiss goodnight and then went over to the kitchen door where Ron stood. She placed a light hand on his shoulder before leaving the two brothers alone.

Bill coughed and looked around for a tea kettle.

"Fleur and I don't get much time to ourselves any more," he explained softly as he placed the kettle on the stove and sat down on a stool by the counter.

Ron nodded, sitting down across from him. "I got that," he muttered.

Bill looked up and took in his brother's pale features and dark circles under his eyes. He took in the nervous twitching of his hands and the helplessness that filled his blue eyes. He could also see something that he had come to recognize from years of watching their father.

"You're that scared?" he asked, genuinely surprised by Ron's feelings towards the whole Hermione thing.

Ron looked up, confused. "What?"

Bill pointed at Ron. "Hermione. You're scared that she might die."

Ron gave him a weird look. "She could die, of course I'm scared," he muttered, wondering silently if Bill had been kissing Fleur a little too long. Just then the kettle began to whistle and Bill got up and began to fix some tea for him and his brother.

Bill sighed, knowing that talking with Ron about this sensitive subject would be hard enough. Every Weasley had a temper. The only two who could control their tempers was Bill's dad and Percy, though he had seen moments where even their tempers had reached the limit. But when it came to deeper emotions, especially love, Ron was probably the only one who kept it all inside. Bill had actually seen a difference in the twins when they were around Angelina and Alicia.

He handed Ron a cup of tea before sitting back down.

"Ron… I know you hate talking about it but you and Hermione-"

"We're together," Ron interrupted quickly before looking down at the steaming cup in his hands, his ears flaming up.

Bill sat there in stunned silence, not knowing what to say at first. He had heard stories of Ron and Hermione, most of them not being so good. The tales of their magnificent fights had been told to him hundreds of times and he never really suspected an actual attraction until he'd seen the two at it during the war. Now, the two that were thought to never settle had finally made up and made out?

"What?"

Ron sighed. "Hermione and I got together right before Ginny was attacked. We never actually told anyone, though everyone in Gryffindor knows," he explained quietly, his eyes still down.

Bill watched his youngest brother, trying to figure him out. "Why didn't you tell anyone?" he asked.

Ron looked up, his eyes blazing. "Why? So everyone could feel sorry for me? So everyone can say, 'oh, poor Ron! Let's all pity him and make sure he doesn't do anything hard because his girlfriend's about to die. That way he can _really_ think about it instead of distracting himself with work!'" he shouted, getting up and moving over to the window.

Bill looked out the kitchen door, hoping Ron hadn't woken anyone up before looking over at his angry brother. Ron was looking outside, his fist shoved in his pockets.

"Look, Ron… Hermione's going to make it. She's tough. You know it better than anyone that she doesn't give in that easily," Bill whispered encouragingly, moving over to where Ron stood.

"What if she doesn't survive the night?" Ron asked. The way he said it filled the room with so much dread that Bill felt his chest clench from the pressure of Ron's words. It was such a simple question yet the answer was unimaginable.

"She'll survive," Bill stated more firmly, not wanting his brother to think about the other possibility.

Ron looked up at Bill. "What would you do if Fleur died?" he asked quietly.

He felt Bill stiffen beside him and knew the question had hit home for his eldest brother. They remained silent for a really long time then Bill turned away and Ron could have sworn he saw a tear fall from Bill's face.

"She'll survive," he gritted through clenched teeth before leaving.

**A/N: I'm a horrible person. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get back to you guys. I've been away for a week w/out computer. I will get all of the stories updated! I promise!**

**Romione:** What happens to Hermione isn't a mystery, but what happens to Hogwarts is always hard for me b/c I've done so much already. I never really no what I'm going to do to Hogwarts.

**smarty350:** Wow... I've never gotten that before. Thank you so much!

**Wesker888:** I'm not so sure anymore. The flow might slow a little during the first few chapters but I think it picks up again.

**charma10:** I hate doing chapter teases, because I find it hard to find something that gives enough info to make the reader interested but not enough to give away what's going on.

**NairobiDawn:** Thank you a lot!

**OzDust:** I can't believe you remember the sheep thing! As for Bellatrix, you'll see how she deals with "competition". As for Ron being King, things might not be that simple, though battles are going to happen!

**blooh2:** I'm glad you like it. As for my writing looking like JKR, That's interesting. Thanks for liking my work.


	3. No Change

**Disclaimer: I don't own HP.**

_Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live._ **-Dorothy Thompson**

Three weeks had passed and Draco Malfoy had done nothing.

The Ministry had not been attacked and Hogwarts had remained quiet as evil brewed within its depths.

There had been no contact between either parties and the Order was growing uneasy. A lapse after such a mind-boggling attack was unnatural.

Hermione, however, was not aware of any of this having been in the hospital for the three weeks.

She had survived the night and had eventually been taken out of critical care and put into a private room. Though she was getting better and receiving physical therapy for her spine, which had been severely damaged during the process, she was allowed no visitors for the purpose that she might get sick.

It had been a miserable three weeks for Hermione as well as Ron, who had fought hard to be able to see her, but the Healer had stayed strong.

Finally, the Healer had declared Hermione well enough to leave and she was now getting ready to go. Mrs. Weasley was there, putting some of Hermione's things, mostly books, into a bag.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Mrs. Weasley asked, worried.

Hermione smiled. "I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley. I'm just glad to be alive," she told the concerned woman.

Mrs. Weasley set down the bag and went over to where Hermione was standing. "Because if you're still in pain, Healer Grossman says that you can stay for another week."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm sure. Healer Grossman said I'll feel a little pain in my back for a while, but other than that, I'll be fine," she insisted, taking Mrs. Weasley's hand.

Mrs. Weasley gave her hand a squeeze. "Ron and Harry have been working themselves sick over you. Harry's been spending a lot of time at Sirius's house, helping Remus with some plans for Hogwarts and Ron's been at the Ministry for the past four days without rest."

Hermione sighed. "I've been away for so long…"

The matriarch smiled and pointed to the door. "Well, let us go back to the Burrow and let everyone say hello to you."

* * *

"Harry! Harry! Hermione's here!" Neville called from the living room.

Harry, Seamus and Dean immediately got up from the table and raced into the living room.

"Harry!" Hermione squealed when he pulled her into a bone-crunching hug and swung her around. The other boys gather around her, watching as Hermione gathered her wits before beaming. Mrs. Weasley smiled and left the room, going up the stairs.

"I heard you all nearly died when I almost did," she whispered.

Neville pointed to Harry. "He almost did," he said with a smile.

Harry went red but Hermione smiled, kissing Harry on the cheek. "I'm glad to see you guys," she said. "How did you make it back?"

Seamus smiled. "Tonks appeared right before we were all about to charge."

"What?" Hermione exclaimed, "you were about to charge?!" She rounded on Harry, obviously expecting an explanation.

Harry looked to the others for help, the Hermione everyone knew coming out. The others grinned and quietly backed out of the room quickly. Harry turned back to Hermione.

"Look Hermione… We needed to give you more time so we were going to make a stand. We were going to protect you," he told her hastily.

"But you would have died!" she shouted.

"Tonks came!" Harry defended.

Tears started to form in Hermione's eyes. "You would have died."

"Then we would have kept our promise to your father," Harry shot back, hating to see Hermione start to get all emotional about this.

Immediately she launched herself at him, burying her face in the crook of his neck, sobbing. Harry smoothed her hair down as he held her, rocking her back and forth as she cried into his shoulder.

"It's ok, Hermione. We're here so let's not think about it," he whispered to her.

Hermione nodded, pulling away slightly. Harry chuckled and wiped away her tears.

"I promised the Healer I wouldn't stress myself with emotions," she whispered.

Harry snorted. "A little late for that," he commented and Hermione rested her forehead on Harry's shoulder and laughed.

They stayed like that for a while until Harry shifted. "You know, Ron's upstairs," he told her.

She pulled away from him, wiping her eyes. "What's he doing upstairs?" she asked softly.

"Sleeping. He's been at the Ministry all night. He tried to stay up but fell asleep," Harry explained. "I'm sure he'd like to be woken up."

Hermione nodded and mounted the stairs, leaving behind a grinning Harry. When she reached the landing, she stopped herself from knocking on the door. Her mind raced back to the last time she'd seen him. She steeled herself and then knocked on the door. When no one answered she knocked again. Hermione sighed when he didn't answer and opened the door herself, peering in.

Her eyes adjusted to the light and then she looked over to Ron's bed. She spotted him sleeping on top of the covers, his chest going up and down slowly. Hermione bit her lip and slipped into the room and closed the door behind her.

She walked over to his bed slowly, unable to bring her gaze from him. She stopped at the bed and hesitated before kneeling down on the bed beside him.

* * *

"You're treading dangerous water, Bellatrix," Draco said to her, coming out of the bathroom.

Bellatrix looked up at him from a chair and snorted. "You're the one who hasn't made a move since the Hogwarts Express. The Death Eaters are thinking you've run out of ideas. The younger ones are starting to mock us."

"By younger, you mean my age," Draco muttered ruefully.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and got up and went over to him.

"I hope you realize why I'm doing this Draco," she hissed, taking hold of his arm.

"I understand," Draco responded, looking up at her through cold eyes.

"Good," she said, releasing him. "Then do not question me," she growled.

Draco glared at her for a moment before turning back to the dresser, fiddling around with the cologne that was there.

"I do have ideas," he told her.

Bellatrix smiled. "What is it?"

He moved over to her, pulling her flush up against him.

* * *

She leaned down and kissed his brow and then began to kiss his face. He moved around and then his eyes opened. At fist they just stared at each other, Ron amazed at the beauty that graced him with her lips.

"Hermione…" he whispered, his voice hoarse and small.

She smiled down at him and brushed her lips against his gently, an overwhelming need to be near him suddenly present within her. She gasped when she felt his strong arms go around her waist and pull her down so that she was completely on top of him. She could feel her mind go fuzzy as they continued to kiss, not able to focus on anything but his touch.

Hermione broke the kiss, breathing deeply and her eyes closed. Ron reached up with one hand and brushed the back of his hand against her cheek, still amazed at how beautiful she looked.

"I missed you," he whispered.

Hermione opened her eyes and gazed into his, a smile appearing on her face. "I heard rumors that Tonks had to save you from the Death Eaters," she murmured.

Ron rolled his eyes. "We didn't need rescuing. We were doing fine."

Hermione repositioned herself so that she wasn't completely on him, propping herself up with an elbow. "If by fine, you mean about to charge the bad guys because you'd run out of ideas, then yeah, I'll agree with you," she said.

"Bloody Seamus, can't keep his mouth shut," Ron grumbled, watching her carefully.

"I hear it was your idea."

Ron shrugged, leaning in and kissing her exposed neck. "I'll take credit for Harry's idea, sure," he mumbled into her skin.

Hermione hit him in the arm and pushed his head away. "Ron… you could have died."

"You could have too, so we're even," he told her calmly. Hermione was about to say something when she stopped herself and looked away from him.

* * *

"You want to know my idea?" Draco asked into her skin, moving his lips up and down her neck.

Bellatrix smiled and nodded. "I'd appreciate it," she muttered.

Draco pulled away from her neck and looked at her. "I don't trust you," he whispered.

Bellatrix's eyes flashed with a momentary anger then she smiled. "I don't trust you either, now we're even."

Draco leaned in and kissed her jaw lightly. "The Ministry will not see it until it is too late," he told her.

* * *

Ron took her chin in his fingers and forced her to look at him.

"Hey… we're alive," he whispered before kissing her fully and deeply.

Hermione gasped into his mouth when his hands began to glide along her skin gently, caressing her in ways that drove her mad. Her hands went down his chest and found their way under his shirt, her mind reeling at how tight his abs were. She sent a silent prayer of thanks to whoever thought of Quiddich. She stopped kissing him though when her hands ran over raised areas on his stomach. She pulled away and frowned.

"What?" Ron asked, watching her carefully.

Hermione met his gaze for a moment then looked down at his stomach, raising the shirt so she could see. She gasped.

Three long thin scars were on Ron's side. They all started from his back so Hermione couldn't see the origin, but she could see that they ended on his abdomen, jagged red lines reaching out from the main scars.

"Oh Ron," Hermione sighed, her eyes watering as she ran her hands over the scars with trembling hands. "You could have-"

Ron kissed her passionately, catching her off guard as his lips moved against hers fervently, trying to convey the feelings he wasn't capable of saying. Hermione was about to move her hand to his face when he stopped her, grabbing her hand and placing it over his racing heart. He then pulled away from her.

"I'm alive, Hermione," he said firmly.

* * *

Draco rolled off, lying down on his back, breathing heavily. Bellatrix propped herself up on one elbow and looked down at him, smiling.

"So that's your plan," she whispered, watching as his eyes began to droop.

He nodded sleepily, one hand running up and down her back as he drifted off. Bellatrix watched him sleep for a moment then reached up and brushed a lock of blonde hair out of his eyes.

He was learning.

She leaned down and kissed his neck reverently.

* * *

Hermione watched Ron sleep, running her hands over the raised scars again. They were still lying on the covers, but after a rather heated snog, Ron had drifted off to sleep, leaving Hermione to watch him in silence.

Over the passed few days, she had had time to think about her relationship with him and about what he had almost said at the Shrieking Shack. If he was going to say what she thought he was, she wouldn't have been able to continue on.

If Ronald Bilius Weasley loved her, she prayed that the worst was over.

The fact was, when she had admitted to loving Ron, she had hoped that it had been a dream and that no one would remember. She was so scared she hadn't thought over what she was about to say. Now she hoped that she would have a chance to tell Ron how she really felt without being afraid…

* * *

Bellatrix ran her hands over Draco's naked chest, feeling his powerful abs and smiling.

Her mind went back to a moment.

"_You will protect the boy," he hissed._

"_I will do what you command, Dark Lord," Bellatrix whispered, bowing._

"_The boy is to be my heir."_

_Bellatrix looked up in surprise. "The Dark Lord will prevail over the wretch, Potter. You will conquer," she groveled._

_Voldemort glared at her. "OF COURSE I WILL PREVAIL!" he screeched. Bellatrix fell to her knees, her face to the ground as she felt evil's presence draw near. _

"_Bellatrix… get up," he whispered silkily, causing her to quake as she stood, eyes down. He leaned in, his tongue flicking out to cheek and finding its way down her jaw. "You will protect him. He is to be my Heir."_

Bellatrix had kept her promise, though she had allowed her physical needs to get the best of her, landing her in the position of Draco's woman.

No matter. Through Draco she would gain the power she desired.

* * *

Hermione kissed Ron's brow and sighed.

A bad feeling went up her spine and shrouded her with a feeling of foreboding.

**A/N: I love this story!**


	4. Recaps

_One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present._ **-Golda Meir**

"_Neville's watching you again," Ginny whispered to Luna as they stepped out of the carriage and headed into Hogsmeade. Luna continued to walk, either not hearing Ginny or pretending not to have heard her. Ginny grinned and walked with her, looking around the whole time as they walked. _

"_Hey, Seamus. Dean," Harry greeted as the two young men approached them. Ginny frowned upon seeing Dean and her heart squeezed painfully as she watched Dean move over to her._

"_You ok?" he asked._

_Ginny glanced over to Harry before nodding and moving around him to where Luna was._

"_I'm great," she muttered._

_An hour later, her and Dean had gotten into a big fight and broken up. That's how she found herself sitting on a bench on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, watching as snow gently began to fall. She hoped that she would be left alone to sort out her feelings, but as luck would have it, Harry Potter came walking up._

"_Hey, Ginny," he whispered. _

_Ginny looked up and offered a smile, quickly wiping away the tears that had started to form in her eyes. _

"_Hi, Harry," she replied, looking back out into the woods._

_Harry frowned and sat down beside her. "What happened?"_

_She shook her head. "Nothing. I don't want to talk about it," she said._

_Harry nodded, understanding her need to be left alone and stood up._

_Ginny closed her eyes and cursed herself. "Wait," she stopped him, standing up. When he turned around she sighed. "I didn't mean to sound rude. I… I just… never mind," she whispered after not being able to find the words. She sat back down and looked at her hands. Harry watched her for a moment then sat down next to her._

"_What is it?" he asked softly. _

_She looked up at him and shook her head, growing increasingly uncomfortable with his green eyes on her. "Nothing."_

"_Ginny…"_

"_What?" she asked. _

_He stared at her for a moment then looked out at the woods, sighing. "I think about the war a lot," he whispered._

_He felt her stiffen beside him and had a feeling he knew why. "I'm not afraid anymore, Ginny," he told her, looking up at her._

_Everything in Ginny went into overdrive at the meaning of his words. She knew what he was talking about but… Certain things were preventing her from acting upon those words, especially the fact that she and Dean had just broken up. _

_Ginny stood up suddenly, feeling suffocated as she tried to think straight. Harry stood up with her, watching her carefully. _

_She ran her fingers through her snow covered hair and bit her lip. _

"_Look Harry… Dean and I…" At that moment, Harry's whole body seemed to sag. "We just broke up," she told him. With that statement, he straightened up a little, but he could still see the storm raging in Ginny's eyes. She looked around for words and took a deep breath. _

_"I just need some time to sort through all of this, ok," she whispered before moving off towards the Shrieking Shack… _

* * *

Ginny looked up to see Draco Malfoy enter, striding over to the Potions Master's desk with the ease of a trained monkey. Ginny could feel her hands start to shake slightly at the thought of what he might do to her, but she forced herself to remain calm and not show Malfoy any fear.

"Wow, Weasley. I'm surprised you haven't said a thing since you've been here," Malfoy commented as he came to a stop at the desk.

Ginny shrugged. "I've been captured before. I know the drill," she murmured, watching him carefully.

Malfoy grinned maliciously. "You always thought you were in control of the situation," he said with a smile. He moved around the desk and behind the chair she was in. "Let me tell you something, Weasel. You are not in control," he growled into her ear.

Ginny took a deep breath and turned to him. "As long as Bellatrix is here, neither are you," she replied, glaring at him.

Before she could see the hand, it struck her face with such a force that she was knocked off the chair and onto the floor, clutching her face. Malfoy leaned down to look her in the eyes, his grey eyes blazing with undeniable loathing for her.

"Do you know how I got this scar?" he asked dangerously.

Ginny looked up at him. "Hermione gave you what you deserved," she growled.

Draco whipped out a small thin blade, his eyes wild. He ran the blade gently over her cheek and a line of blood appeared as she gasped. He grabbed her hair and dragged her to her feet and slammed her into the wall, his body pressing against hers as she struggled to get away. The blade was then against her throat, making her stop moving.

"I told Bellatrix that I would give you to her in roughly the same condition," he whispered into her ear, his hot breath teasing her neck.

Ginny could feel her heart stop and the blood drain from her face as fear coursed through her trembling body. She could feel his other hand moving beneath her robes and she closed her eyes, trying to distract herself from the cold hands that groped at her.

"Harry will come and get me," she murmured.

Draco smiled, his lips burning a hole in her neck. "I doubt that. Bellatrix will deal with him when the time comes. Who knows? Maybe you'll be alive when it happens," he jeered, the blade in his hand now on her stomach. He flicked it slightly and Ginny gasped, trying to pull away from him again as the blade cut her skin. Beneath his lips he could feel her shudder and her heart race and it made him grin.

His lips moved up her neck until they reached her cheek and then he pulled away slightly so that their eyes could meet. Frightened blue meeting violent grey. Draco smiled.

"Virgins are always easier to scare," he whispered.

Ginny whimpered.

* * *

_Malfoy screamed, clutching his face as blood poured from the wound Hermione had just made._

"_HERMIONE!"_

_She turned to see Ron standing at the entrance, eyes wide. Hermione looked back at Malfoy, who was on the floor, covered in his own blood, still screaming in agony._

"_HERMIONE! They'll be here any moment!" Ron screamed, looking out the door of the manor._

_Hermione nodded, backing up._

"_You'll pay for this Mudblood," Malfoy growled from his spot on the floor, causing Hermione to stop. He looked up at her through blood and pain. "You'll pay."_

"What are you thinking about?"

Hermione looked up from her cup of tea to see Ron standing at the kitchen doorway, watching her intently. She blushed and looked back down.

"Nothing… just Malfoy."

"Thinking about Malfoy isn't nothing… is it about that night-"

"We made a mistake going into his house," Hermione cut in quickly, standing up. "He never forgot what I did to him."

The night back at Hogsmeade flashed before Ron's eyes.

"_Your little Mudblood is to blame for that," he whispered dangerously. "Do you want to know what I'm going to do with her when I find her?" Not waiting for an answer, Draco smiled and leaned into Ron's ear. "I'm going to screw her so hard until she screams. Then I'm going kill her slowly… very slowly." With that he pulled away to gaze into Ron's blazing eyes. "And you won't be able to do a thing."_

He didn't notice that his fingers had balled up into a fist and his face had gone dark, but Hermione did. She walked over to him and touched his arm.

"What is it?" she asked.

Ron blinked and looked down at her, taking in her fearful eyes and mentally cursed himself for making her worry. He smiled and kissed her brow.

"Nothing," he whispered before kissing her lips. "It's nothing."

**A/N: This is absolutely amazing!!!!**


	5. Speculation

"We need to get back in there," Harry said again, his temper flaring as his patience wore down.

"That isn't an option right now, Potter," Moody growled, watching him from the other side of the table. They were all gathered in Sirius's old kitchen. Lupin, Moody, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as well as Charlie, Fred, George, Hermione, Ron and Harry. The others had been asked to go to the Ministry.

"What do you mean it isn't an option? Why can't we get into Hogwarts?" Harry demanded.

"Because it's not safe," Mr. Weasley cut in. "There's too much at risk with Malfoy in there. He knows he's got the upper hand and he isn't stupid enough to let his guard down now. We go barging in there, we'll kill all of them."

Hermione frowned, holding up her hand. "Isn't there any other way to get into Hogwarts besides the fireplaces and that bridge?"

Before Moody could answer, Bill came into the kitchen, holding up a newspaper.

"Look at this," he told them, placing the paper on the table.

They all read the title and then looked up at Bill as if he'd lost his mind.

"It's a Muggle newspaper, Bill," Ron pointed out with a smirk.

Bill rolled his eyes and pointed at the largest article on the front page. "Read that," he told them.

"'Newest Candidate is a Huge Success,'" Tonks read before looking up at Bill. "So?"

Bill gave a heavy sigh and grabbed the article and began to read it. "'In the upcoming elections for new Prime Minister, England's masses seem to agree that Timothy Roland is the People's Choice. This family man devotes his time not only to the political spectrum of life but to his family and friends who support him fully,'" Bill read. He read a bit more about the man then looked up.

Mr. Weasley frowned. "Timothy Roland… I've heard of him before… where have I heard of him?"

Bill looked around to see if it rang a bell then let out an all suffering sigh. "He's the git who ran for office after they sacked Fudge. He's running again," he explained.

"In a Muggle election?" Hermione asked, her attention gained. "Why would a wizard run for a Muggle position?"

Bill shrugged. "I thought you all should know. They haven't run an article on it in the Daily Prophet, but then again, those idiots don't know what to write these days," he muttered.

Moody snatched the newspaper from Bill and read it over silently before looking around. "Death Eaters," was all he said.

Bill nodded but others didn't understand yet.

"What do you mean, Death Eaters?" Percy asked.

Moody pointed to the newspaper. "Timothy Roland was a suspected Death Eater back in the days of Voldemort. After the war, he was cleared of all charges against him and the Ministry hasn't had a problem with him. This must be Malfoy's work."

Suddenly it hit everyone what Moody meant.

"Oh my God," Mr. Weasley whispered. "They're going to use the Muggle elections as a way to get to Muggles."

"They've taken the battlefield to a whole new level," Ron muttered.

Hermione reached out and grabbed the newspaper, flipping through it while everyone watched. "If they're having elections, then the candidates will have to make speeches on why they should go into office. These speeches are normally in some sort of arena or something like that where lots of people can go and see."

"So?" Fred and George asked.

Hermione glanced up at them before going back to skimming the pages. "_So_, it means that Malfoy might not wait until Roland gets office. And since he's not going to wait…"

"He's going to use the Unforgivable Curse to control the Muggles at those meetings," Harry finished, catching Hermione's gaze before she nodded and looked back down.

"Not everyone meeting mind you. Muggle technology may be flawed, but they're not completely stupid and neither is Draco Malfoy. He knows that if the media is covering the meetings he won't be able to use the curse because thousands of other people are going to be watching and see that Roland is using something to get votes and he'll be forced to pull out of the race," she explained. Her eyes got all bright and she looked up.

"Found the dates and places," she said, taking out her wand and tapping it on the area where the schedule was. It was instantly outlined in red and Hermione pocketed her wand with satisfaction. She handed the newspaper to Moody who took it and instantly left the kitchen with Mr. Weasley and Lupin.

Mrs. Weasley stood up and pointed to the remaining.

"Come on, it's time for you to go back to the Burrow," she told them, motioning for them to march to the fireplace.

As they went, Ron leaned towards Hermione and whispered into her ear, "Great job."

Feeling goosebumps rise on her skin, Hermione blushed and smiled before stepping into the fire and disappearing in green flames.

* * *

Bellatrix sat down with Folen, Goyle, Bulstrode, Flint, Crabbe and surprisingly, Fenir Greyback. The werewolf was in the corner of Bellatrix's private room, which she used very little, glancing over at them occasionally as Bellatrix explained her plan.

"It won't be hard. As long as you keep your men quiet and make sure that they keep their cloaks on, you will get in undetected," she told them.

Folen folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Won't they see our footprints?"

Bulstrode rolled his eyes. "It's the Burrow. There must be footprints all over the place," he sneered.

"It was just a question," Folen growled.

Bellatrix sighed. "I don't care how long it takes you, can you do it?"

"That place is protected by tons of charms from Dumbledore. Do you know how hard it's going to be just to get on the property?" Flint asked incredulously.

"That is if we can find it," Goyle added glumly, his eyes going over the blueprint Bellatrix had given them.

"If we can get into the ultimate safeguard, then I don't see how a silly little dump of a house should be harder?" Bellatrix snapped. "I just want to know if you can do it."

"What _exactly_ are we looking for anyway? Assuming those idiots aren't in the house."

Bellatrix's dark eyes traveled over to where Greyback stood. "Greyback knows what I need. That should be enough," she told them, her voice filled with a dangerous finality that told them that the meeting was over. They all got up and Folen collected the blueprint before they all left, except Greyback. Bellatrix got up and went over to her fireplace, watching it as the wood crackled and burned.

"Malfoy doesn't know about this does he?"

Bellatrix smiled. "I pride myself on secrecy, Greyback. You of all people should know that."

"You shag the child and all of a sudden you make the calls," he growled deeply, moving away from the wall and going over to her with deliberate calculation. She turned to him.

"He's not a child anymore, Greyback," she whispered.

"Yet you do things behind his back and protect him like he was one," Greyback hissed, moving around so that he was behind her.

"When you get me what I need, I will tell him," she told him.

Greyback turned her around so that she was pressed up against him. "I will not take orders from a runt," he growled into her ear.

Bellatrix looked into the eyes of evil and smiled. "That isn't your decision," she murmured calmly. "Do what I ask and I promise, you will not have to take orders from him any longer," she whispered before motioning for him to leave.

Greyback's lip curled back to expose dripping white fangs stained with the blood of innocent people.

"I'll be seeing you," he growled before slinking out of the room. As the door closed behind Greyback, someone else slipped out undetected, her mind racing as she raced around, looking for Draco Malfoy.

"What exactly were you planning?"

Bellatrix smiled and turned to look in the stormy eyes of Draco Malfoy. She went over to him and waited until his arms were around her waist before answering.

"You are in charge of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, but when your other plan goes into play, someone will need to take over the Ministry," she whispered into his ear as he kissed her neck.

"Greyback?"

"I will not explain my reasoning with you, Draco," she whispered.

"Pansy was here," Draco said, changing the subject instantly.

Bellatrix nodded, pointing to the area behind the couch. "She was over there, listening. She'll be looking for you now. Give me a chance to change then I'll deal with her," she told him, giving him a long kiss before pulling away and going over to her bathroom. "I will not stand her little bid for my place any longer."

"She's a Slytherin," Draco murmured, following her into the bathroom where she was undressing. She looked up at him.

"Then she will die like one."

* * *

"Greyback!"

The man turned around, watching a young man, no older than sixteen, run down the hill from the massive doors of Hogwarts to where Greyback waited patiently.

"What?"

The boy handed him a note and then backed away, careful not to kick up any snow on the menacing figure. Greyback looked down at the note and smiled.

"Bellatrix, you devil," he murmured before he changed his direction towards the woods.

**A/N: I love this story. **


	6. Ginny's Glimpse pt 1

**A/N: Things start to go a bit faster now.**

_The eternal quest of the individual human being is to shatter his loneliness._** -****Norman** **Cousins**

_

* * *

__Opened eyes revealed a vast nothingness at first then focus brought in a line of trees that protected another line of trees against nature's icy fury._

_With chattering teeth, she turned around and gasped upon seeing the Burrow._

_What?_

_Whispering._

_She whirled around and her heart stopped once more._

_There were at least a hundred of them, if not more._

_Death Eaters. _

_They approached from the forest, creeping in the snow as they moved up to the Burrow like death. The snow covered their tracks as they moved past her, regarding her presence as the wind around them. She tried to call a warning, but no sound came and she watched in horror as they entered the house and screams exited along with the souls of those inside. _

_Falling to her knees, she closed her eyes and tried to scream._

Ginny awoke screaming. She sat up from the bed she was laying in, gripping the sheets tightly to her naked body.

Ginny took a couple of shaky breaths before looking around.

"Something bad is going to happen…"

* * *

Hermione woke up, aware that someone was watching her.

"Why do you come in here?" she asked softly, her voice still a little raspy from waking up.

Ron grinned and leaned down kissing her neck as she tried to sit up. She swatted him away, looking up at him with a stern look.

"Seriously, Ron. It was fine the first two nights, but I really don't think you're mum is comfortable with you sleeping here," she told him, lacing her fingers with his as he looked down at her.

"Come on, 'Mione. You know we don't do anything," he whined, leaning in to kiss her neck again.

"Yeah, but your mum doesn't."

Ron sighed and pulled away slightly, but still had her trapped under the weight of his body leaning over hers. "Speaking of mum, she went to Diagon Ally to get our wands checked. Make sure nothing's wrong with them."

Hermione frowned. "You mean we don't have our wands?"

Ron shook his head. "Don't worry. Fleur's coming over in an hour and a half and Fred and George are stopping by during lunch, so we'll be fine. It's not like Death Eaters are going to attack," he muttered, kissing her brow before getting up and leaving the room.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Hermione found herself sitting besides Luna in Ron's room with Seamus, Dean, Harry, Neville and Ron on the floor talking Quiddich. Luna and Hermione just went through magazines they had found in the kitchen.

"Look, Ron. I don't care if you hate the guy, Victor Krum is still one of the best players in the league," Dean defended, attracting Hermione's attention from the page on clothes.

"What about Victor?" she asked.

Ron shot her a strange look which she chose to ignore and after a hesitated silence, Harry cleared his throat.

"Dean's trying to tell Ron that Victor is a great player."

"He's an arse," Ron muttered, flipping through a Quiddich Magazine.

Hermione rolled her eyes, still amazed that even after they were together, Ron still held a grudge against the first guy who actually realized that she was a girl. Sighing, she turned to Dean.

"Ron's being stupid. Victor's a terrific Quiddich player so don't listen to him," she said before going back to her magazine, totally ignoring the look Ron was giving her from the ground.

Hermione sighed and got up from the bed, needing to get one of her books from her trunk in Ginny's room. As she walked down the stairs, someone grabbed her arm.

"Ron! You scared me, don't do that," she scolded, removing her hand from his. "What's wrong?"

"Why did you say I was being stupid?" he asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ron… Victor was three years ago and you still hate him. I'm with you now, so forget about Victor the guy who took me to the Yule Ball and just think about Victor the man who happens to play Quiddich. I hate seeing you get all angry every time his name gets brought up," she told him before moving down the stairs.

"Does he still write you?" he asked.

Hermione looked up at him and nodded. "Sometimes. He says he's happy that you finally kissed me," she whispered before disappearing into Ginny's room.

* * *

Dean and Neville entered Percy's old room that faced the backyard and looked around for the box Ron had told them about. Dean pointed over towards the far wall.

"Why don't you check the boxes near that window and I'll look over here," he suggested to Neville.

Neville nodded and went over to the window, looking through several boxes for the old chess set.

As he looked, he glanced out the window from time to time, smiling to himself as snow began to fall.

"There the tracks from the fight," he told Dean, motioning to the window.

Dean stopped what he was doing and looked out the window, a smile on his face as well. They had all just come in from a snowball fight and were back in Ron's room, waiting for Dean and Neville to retrieve the extra chess set Ron had sent them for.

Dean was about to go back to looking when Neville grabbed his arm tightly, his body stiff as he stared intensely out the window. Dean frowned.

"What?"

Neville motioned Dean back and pointed to an area just a few meters from the front door.

"You see that?" Neville asked.

At first Dean didn't know what Neville was talking about, but he looked anyway, staring intently at the area Neville had pointed out.

"Neville, I don't see-"

His body seized suddenly when he saw the flash of black appear in two places, moving towards the Burrow before disappearing.

"Oh no," he muttered and the two scrambled towards the door and up the stairs to Ron's room.

"Death Eaters!" Neville exclaimed, barging into the room.

"What?" Harry asked, looking away from the chessboard.

"Death Eaters," Dean said breathlessly. "There are Death Eaters outside," he told Ron.

Instantly everyone ran to the window and looked out.

"Oh my God," Seamus whispered.

There were at least a hundred of them in the back yard and going around to the front. Black Death moving across the snow to the Burrow, obviously from the woods.

"What were you saying, Ron?" Hermione asked, her hands starting to shake. Ron glanced over at her and noticed that she had gone completely pale as she saw them approach quickly.

"Why would they show themselves?" Luna asked for some strange reason.

There was a crash downstairs and they all whirled around to the door.

"That's why," Harry muttered.

Ron shushed them and leaned out the door, looking down the stairs. He didn't see anything, but his heart was racing madly.

"Do you have a fireplace up here?" Seamus asked.

Ron glanced back at him.

"This isn't the Malfoy Manor, Finnegan. The only fireplace is downstairs," he whispered, watching the downstairs carefully.

_Crack_!

"Ron! Ron, where are you?" came the beautiful voice of Fleur.

Ron's heart stopped and he was about to go down the stairs when Harry and Dean grabbed him and dragged him back just as Fleur screamed and a flash of green light filtered out from the kitchen.

* * *

Greyback shed his cloak and turned to Flint.

"You will stay out here with the others while I go in," he ordered.

Flint shook his head. "No way. We're going in as well. No one said anything about us staying outside," he growled.

There was a flash of green light and Flint's body dropped to the ground, lifeless and cold. Greyback bared his fangs and glared at the others who were standing around.

"Who's next?"

When no one answered, he turned and went to the door. He smashed a window and opened the door, not bothering to use his wand. He wanted them to be afraid.

Entering the kitchen he looked around and went over to the counter, sniffing the surface.

_Crack!_

"Ron! Ron, where are you?"

Greyback raised his wand and waited until the pretty little thing saw him. She screamed and he smiled. Her body hit the ground and Greyback heard someone scream upstairs.

"You can't hide forever," he called, moving around the kitchen, not bothering to go upstairs just yet.

* * *

_A scream filled her ears and she could feel her heart race as the footsteps drew near._

_Tick, tock. Tick tock._

_The ticking and tocking went to slow for her frightful heart and to fast for her frozen mind. The beating drum that came from the foundations shook the house and forced her further up the stairs as the steps drew ever closer. Never stopping but never reaching their destination._

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

_A countdown perhaps?_

_A death toll?_

_A scare tactic?_

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

_Once again, the drum pounded and lightening lit up the house as it cracked. Rain poured, drowning her in her own fear. Her own cowardice._

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

_The deepened voice called to her, its tone dripping with seduction and murder. _

_As she made her way up the stairs, she could see the fire. The fire that mocked her and licked at her toes and moaned for her skin._

_She slipped and turned around as the fire surged for her. It glinted off her skin and matched her hair in color as it surrounded her and consumed her._

_Tick, tock. Tick, to-_

_There was a scream and everything stopped along with her heart. She slipped into a bedroom and slammed the door, the clicking of the lock not calming her in the least. She pressed her back to the wall and slid down the wall, letting the rain fall on her as the steps continued their journey to her, seeking her with a vengeance. Her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe, her red hair plastered to her face as she felt cold beads of sweat make their way down her brow._

_Boom. Boom. Boom._

_The drum continued, shaking the house and delivering an atmosphere of chaos as the door began to jerk, the outside longing to be in and the inside longing to be dead._

_Boom. Boom. Boom._

_She inched to the corner of the stormy room and her eyes grew when the outside charged in, brown eyes seeking her out._

_Getting off the floor, her mind stopped upon seeing her father, glaring at her._

"_You left me. You left me!"_

_No… that couldn't be!_

_She would never abandon him. She begged and pleaded for him to understand, but he still approached, hell on his heals and Satan on his shoulder, whispering to him._

_Screams._

_Boom. Boom. Boo-_

Ginny held her head, trying to stop the images that flooded her brain. She looked up again with tears running down her face.

"No…"

**A/N: This part of the story is probably my favorite and least favorite at the same time. In the first story I didn't kill _anybody_ significant and now... **

**TheOnlyHarryPotterQueen:** I am actually almost done with this whole thing/series. I just can't find a good way to kill off certain people. :-)

**NairobiDawn:** Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy my work.

**Rachelle:** Don't worry. I update quite quickly.

**blooh2:** I was going to, but then I forgot. Thanks for reminding me. I'll do one for this.

**Romione:** Hogwarts is fine for now (If I can say that), but I can't say the same for Ginny. She's in a big mess.

**OzDust:** Please remember that second question. I'm not going to give you an answer though. Just remember it. Well, Draco hates Hermione for what she did to his face and obviously, the whole Death Eater community loathes Harry. Draco hates Ron as well, but for a completely different reason which will not be revealed until the third installment, so don't stress yourself over it.

**smarty350:** Thank you.

**Wesker888:** I liked the new chapter. I heard the movie was good.

**chocolate'slover:** Thank you. As for H/G, I don't think that will happen in this story and maybe not even the next story, if I'm evil enough, which some of my reviewers think I am, which I resent. I'm not _that_ evil... am I? ;-) BTW, love your name! I **_ADORE_** chocolate!

**On to the next Chapter!**


	7. Ginny's Glimpse pt 2

**A/N: Here We GOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!**

* * *

"What are they doing?" Hermione asked, watching as Harry glanced out the window before backing away.

"They're just out there," he muttered.

"We're going to die," Seamus whispered.

"Shut up, we're not going to die," Ron growled, glancing out the door and down the stairs.

"Just like your brother's girl friend wasn't going to die," Seamus shot back.

Ron had him against the wall instantly and Hermione got up, going over to them.

"Ron stop, there's no use fighting, so stop it," she hissed, prying his fingers off of Seamus's throat. Ron gave Seamus one of the nastiest looks Hermione had ever seen then went back to the door. Hermione turned to Seamus with a frown.

"You shouldn't have said that," she whispered before moving over to Ron. "Are you sure there's no way-"

TICK, TOCK. TICK, TOCK.

Everyone froze as they listened to the beat of a grandfather clock.

"Sounds like Ginny," Luna whispered, her face going pale again.

TICK, TOCK. TICK, TOCK.

"DO YOU HEAR THAT POTTER?!"

Harry recognized that voice immediately.

"Greyback." His voice was filled with so much fear that Hermione was afraid he'd start shaking.

Neville looked up, eyes wide.

"The werewolf?"

Harry nodded slowly and Hermione closed her eyes, sliding down the wall as the ticking continued.

"THAT IS THE SOUND OF YOU LIFE RUNNING OUT! I WILL GET WHAT I CAME FOR! AND THEN WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE END I WILL KILL THAT MUDBLOOD WHORE WHO TRIED TO KILL ME!"

Hermione's eyes began to fill with tears. She had heard things about him from the Last War. The things he had done to women after he caught them. She could feel eyes on her. She hadn't really tried to kill him… She didn't even know it was him…

"We have to get out of here," she whispered.

Dean grabbed Ron's arm.

"Are you sure there's no other way out?"

Ron was about to say no when he froze and suddenly something dawned on him.

"Bill's room… We have to get to Bill's room…"

Harry came away from the window and walked over to Ron.

"Bill's room? What's in Bill's room besides his stuff?"

Ron racked his brain and finally looked up.

"There's a portkey up there. Mum always had an extra way out just in case we didn't have wands," he told them.

Dean moved past Ron and looked out the door. After Greyback's little spiel, he had not said a word. There was nothing outside and after a moment, Dean looked back at everyone.

"Come on," he whispered before slipping out of the door.

Ron had just gotten out the door when they heard something howl. They all looked at the bottom of the staircase and saw Greyback standing there, holding leashes.

"Oh no," Seamus gasped.

Greyback smiled.

"Weasley… answer this," he said, his eyes boring into Ron's. "How many wolves does it take to kill a blood traitor?"

He released the leashes and five large white wolves came tearing up the stairs, snarling at the people on the second landing.

Dean turned to the others. "RUN!"

They all started out of the room when the wolves had just past the first landing and were tearing up the second set of stairs. Luna suddenly appeared from Ron's room and slammed the chessboard into the face of the first wolf that made it up. There was a screech and the other wolves growled.

Harry grabbed Luna's arm and dragged her up the stairs at high speed.

"Thanks, Luna, that made them happy," he commented as they struggled to get up the stairs.

Dean shouted for help as a wolf grabbed his leg and began to pull him back down the stairs. Seamus and Ron grabbed his arms and tried to pull, while trying to get rid of the two wolves that were trying to attack them.

TICK, TOCK. TICK, TOCK.

"RON!" Hermione screamed just when one of them jumped on him, taking hold of his arm. "NO!" She grabbed a picture off the wall and lobbed it at the wolf. She was no Quiddich player but she was able to distract the thing's attention from Ron's arm enough for Ron to yank himself and Dean free. As they went up the stairs, Ron grabbed hold of a hallway closet knob and yanked it open. There was a cry of pain from the two animals that hit the door just as Harry was able to yank the knob for the door to Bill's room open and they dove in. Seamus slammed the door closed and he and Luna tried to keep it closed as the animals started gnarling and scratching at the door.

"Where is it?!" Hermione asked.

Ron began looking through all of the drawers.

"I don't know!" he said.

Hermione's eyes grew as large as saucers. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?!"

Ron rounded on her. "I mean I don't know!" he snot, moving past her and looking through some other drawers.

"You lead us up here and now you don't even know!" she screeched.

"SHUT UP!" Harry shouted, glaring at the both of them. "Ron, just find it!"

Seamus kept on sliding down as the door continued to shake under the onslaught of the animals. "Yeah, could you hurry up?"

"There!" Ron proclaimed, lunging for a small picture frame with a shot of the Weasleys when they were all younger.

"Where does this thing go?" Hermione asked.

Dean shoved her towards the door. "Anywhere safer than this, I hope."

They all gather around the door frantically and placed their hands on the frame.

"One… two… three."

TICK, TOCK. TICK, TOC-

* * *

In the kitchen, Greyback smiled when he heard the sound stop. The animals stopped growling and came down the stairs, at the same time transforming back into five grey haired men, with coal black eyes.

"They're gone, just like you needed," one said.

Greyback gave a nod and all the men left the house. He reached out and grabbed an apple, taking a bite out of it. Greyback then took out multiple clear tubes and went up stairs.

* * *

_Suddenly she was plunged into the forest and hit the ground running._

_Desperate to escape, she found herself running from the evil that so obsessively pursued her. Her heart pounded in her ears and she knew it could hear it. It wanted her blood but she would not let it have her._

_The thoughts of her father came crashing around her as she flew through the bushes and stumbled over sharp rocks, leaving a gleaming red trail behind her. _

_She skidded to a stop and looked around, her lungs burning as she struggled to breathe. _

_A vast lake was before her with nothing but a large rock in the middle. On the other side, Hogwarts stood in all its beauty. _

_Screaming._

_She turned to see it standing there, glaring at her through red eyes. Its eyes roved over her body in lust, from her torn legs to her wet hair that stuck to her face. Its mouth pulled back into a wicked grin, exposing sharp white fangs that knew only one purpose._

_Kill. Kill. KILL!_

_She screamed and turned, running right into the water. Before she could make another sound, she went under and silence ruled her world._

"You're seeing it aren't you."

Ginny looked up to see Draco Malfoy watching her with interest. Ginny pulled the robe more closely around her, the feeling of violation returning to her and bringing tears with it.

"What did you do to me?" she demanded, backing away from him.

Malfoy smiled wickedly and pointed to her head.

"It's called _Abyssus Incindia_."

"Hell Fire?"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Someone knows Latin. It's a spell I made up myself. It is a curse that takes over a body and manifests my plans into the host's worst nightmares. That's what you've been seeing for the passed few hours. My plans being carried out."

Ginny raised a hand to her head and closed her eyes. "What have you done to my friends?" she asked softly, trying to somehow convince herself that this was all a dream.

"They're still alive… for now," he told her before leaving the small bedroom and locking the door.

**A/N: Draco Malfoy and Greyback know what they're doing! What will happen to them all now?**

**I'm not sure whether or not to go on or not...**


	8. A Loss

**Disclaimer: I don't own HP.**

_A human life is a story told by God._ -**Hans Christian Andersen**

"There you are! What happened?!" Mrs. Weasley asked, watching as the scared teens ran down the hall of St. Mungos.

"Death Eaters are at the Burrow. Greyback is leading them!" Ron told her quickly, noticing his father and brothers appear. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"AT THE BURROW!" Mrs. Weasley screeched.

"We were able to get out, but Dean's a bit banged up. He's downstairs getting looked at with Seamus and Luna," Harry explained.

Bill pushed through his brothers and looked around, a fearful look in his eyes. "Where's Fleur? She was supposed to stop over to check on you," he said.

An excruciatingly painful pang dealt a hard blow over the three as they went pale again. The night Hermione had almost died flooded through Ron's mind and he suddenly felt numb.

_Ron looked up at Bill. "What would you do if Fleur died?" he asked quietly. _

_He felt Bill stiffen beside him and knew the question had hit home for his eldest brother. They remained silent for a really long time then Bill turned away and Ron could have sworn he saw a tear fall from Bill's face._

"_She'll survive," he gritted through clenched teeth before leaving._

After the prolonged silence, Bill grew pale and he grabbed Ron by the shirt roughly, shaking him.

"Where is she?" he demanded again, his eyes begging Ron for an answer he could not give.

Hermione bit her lip, touching Bill's arm as he continued to hold a pale and mute Ron.

"Bill… she didn't know…" Harry tried, eyes on his best friend, begging him to say something.

Bill shook Ron harder, glaring at him and purposefully ignoring Harry, hot tears filling his desperate eyes.

"WHERE IS SHE?"

They all watched as Ron just stared back at his brother, unable to give him an answer. George reached out to take Bill's hand.

"Bill, Harry just said-"

"NO!" Bill shouted, his eyes still boring into Ron's, which were now filling with tears as well. "WHERE IS SHE, RON?! WHERE IS SHE?" he bellowed, but still Ron was unable to answer, the scene of that night playing over and over in his mind.

Angelina lifted a hand to her mouth, eyes wide. "Oh my God…"

Hermione went and rested a hand on Bill's shoulder. "Bill, let him go… please…"

Bill slammed Ron against the wall violently and everyone rushed over to try to get him off of his youngest brother. Hermione jumped back in surprise, eyes wide as the scene became worse.

"WHERE IS SHE? WHAT DID YOU DO??!"

"Bill, Ron didn't do anything!" Harry yelled as Fred, George, Mr. Weasley and Percy tried to pry him off Ron.

Silent tears poured down Ron's cheeks as he stared into the deranged eyes of Bill.

"She's dead."

Though it was hardly audible, everyone heard what Ron said. For a moment it looked as if Bill were about to back down but then he did something no one ever would have thought he'd do.

"NO!"

Ron hit the floor before anyone could stop Bill. It took the combined strength of Fred, George, Percy, Harry and Mr. Weasley to get Bill off of Ron, who welcomed his onslaught without a struggle. Hermione kneeled down beside Ron while Mrs. Weasley watched her eldest son fall apart. At first Bill continued to scream profanities at Ron, but that soon gave way to the wracked sobs of pain that escaped from his throat as he fell to his knees, reality becoming ever so real to him in that moment.

Hermione wiped the blood from Ron's lip as he watched his brother cry. Watched the one brother he looked up to as a mentor fall to pieces. The consuming pain that his brother was going through scared him to no end. Scared him beyond reason.

"Ron… Ron, are you ok?" Hermione asked.

Ron finally tore his gaze from the awful sight to the young woman kneeling beside him, watching him with the utmost concern and a hint of something he couldn't explain. She touched his cheek carefully.

"Are you ok?" she asked again.

Ron just stared at her for what seemed like forever then he turned his gaze back on his brother.

He _never_ wanted to be like his brother…

* * *

Pansy was walking down the hall, going over everything Bellatrix had said to Greyback.

"_Malfoy doesn't know about this does he?"_

_Bellatrix smiled. "I pride myself on secrecy, Greyback. You of all people should know that."_

"_You shag the child and all of a sudden you make the calls," he growled deeply, moving away from the wall and going over to her with deliberate calculation. She turned to him._

"_He's not a child anymore, Greyback," she whispered. _

"_Yet you do things behind his back and protect him like he was one," Greyback hissed, moving around so that he was behind her._

"_When you get me what I need, I will tell him," she told him. _

_Greyback turned her around so that she was pressed up against him. "I will not take orders from a runt," he growled into her ear._

_Bellatrix looked into the eyes of evil and smiled. "That isn't your decision," she murmured calmly. "Do what I ask and I promise, you will not have to take orders from him any longer," she whispered before motioning for him to leave._

_Greyback's lip curled back to expose dripping white fangs stained with the blood of innocent people. _

"_I'll be seeing you," he growled before slinking out of the room._

If that whore thought she could get away with killing Draco, then she had another thing coming.

Pansy smirked to herself as she picked up her pace down the dark halls.

"Watch where you're… Draco!" Pansy exclaimed.

The blonde looked over her with little interest as he dusted off his spotless black robes. Pansy hesitated for a moment then coughed.

"I need to talk to you," she said.

"About what?" he asked as he started to walk again. Pansy had to hurry, almost jogging, to keep up with his long strides.

"Bellatrix."

Draco stopped and looked over at her, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"What about her?"

Pansy put her hand on her hip, trying to show him that she wasn't afraid.

"She's going to try to kill you. She's plotting something with Greyback and she's going to kill you."

Draco remained absolutely still for a moment, a slightly pained look coming into his eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice small and raspy.

Pansy frowned, noticing his state of being. "Of course I'm sure. I heard it with my own ears. She said, 'Do what I ask and I promise, you will not have to take orders from him any longer,'" Pansy told him eagerly.

"Is that so?"

Pansy's whole body flinched and the blood was drained from her face when she heard the silky calm voice of Bellatrix Lestrange come to her. She twisted around and came face to face with the older woman, who stood there, her dark eyes blazing with outrage, though nothing else showed her anger.

"Bellatrix," Pansy gasped backing up slightly.

Bellatrix just approached again, eyes still trained on Pansy.

"You've been nothing but a thorn in my side since we arrived here, Parkinson, and it's time we ended it. It's time you died like the bitch that you are," Bellatrix growled, taking out her wand. "Only wands," she added.

Pansy took out her own wand, pointing it at Bellatrix.

"You're the one who's going to die," Pansy managed to say before Bellatrix attacked, firing a curse at her.

Pansy dived out of the way and soon the hallway was filled with dust from the curses hitting the walls. It was painfully obvious that Bellatrix was just teasing Pansy like a cat with a mouse. She'd let Pansy believe she was winning before giving a stunning blow. That's when Pansy made a desperate and utterly stupid move.

She jumped onto Bellatrix and the two came crashing to the floor, wrestling each other for wands while Draco and other men who had heard the commotion watched with excited eyes.

Both Bellatrix's wand and Pansy's wand went flying in the air. Bellatrix was about to get off of Pansy to get her wand when Pansy yanked on her hair and dragged her back down to the ground before scrambling after the wands herself.

Bellatrix lifted her head off the ground watching Pansy as she reached the wands. Bellatrix reached down to her ankle and took out something before getting to her feet and walking over to Pansy, who had just grabbed both wands.

Pansy stood up and turned around.

She gasped in pain as she felt the cool blade being shoved through her ribcage and forced upwards as Bellatrix grabbed her shoulder to make sure the knife went through properly. Bellatrix leaned in to Pansy's ear as her eyes began to cloud over.

"Go to hell," she snarled before yanking the blade out and plunging it into Pansy's neck. As the girl sank to the ground in her own blood, Bellatrix leaned in, her eyes filled with a madness Draco had only seen once. "And tell Lucifer I said hello."

**A/N: Somehow, I've grown to hate Bellatrix... and Pansy... but mainly Bellatrix. This was a moment of "whatever". "Let her have some fun." **

**I told you I start killing people in this story. I've killed two people you all thought would live a little longer... or at least one person why you thought would live a little longer. I bet all of you knew I was going to kill off Pansy some time. I was honestly thinking that I'd have Draco do it, but then I was like, "Bellatrix hates the girl, let her do it."**

**CHAPTER TEASE!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!**

_"We have to keep fighting…"_

_Hermione looked out the window, wiping away the tears. _

_"For how long, Harry? For how long?"_


	9. Changing Lanes

**ATTENTION: All Anonymous reviews have been prohibited from my stories. This has nothing to do with my reviewers but everything to do with a coward who has reviewed my story for the purpose of spoiling the seventh Harry Potter book by putting down events (whether or not they are true is not certain) that are to take place in Deathly Hollows, primarily the deaths and aftermath in that review. I am taking action against this in hopes that if these events are true they will not spoil it for anyone who reads the reviews. My apologies for anyone who has already seen the review, it has been removed and my apologies to any reviewer who has been reviewing anonymously. I am really upset at this and hope the person has the guts to come forward. If not, I pity them and pray for them.**

Lupin sank into a couch, exhausted and filled with loss.

Bill was now missing, though every Weasley brother knew exactly where he had gone. As for Ron… he had secluded himself to the attic in Sirius's house's attic. Hermione had tried to get in but after a really nasty and really loud spew of words from Ron, Hermione backed down, sitting down at the kitchen table silently with tears running down her face.

Lupin leaned forward, placing his head in his hands and rubbing his eyes. They had arrived at the Burrow way after Greyback and the other Death Eaters had left, only to find the place burned to the ground, with Fleur's body in the snow a few meters away from the wreckage. By then her body had turned blue from the cold, her beautiful dead eyes staring up at them in horror.

None of the Weasley's spoke for the rest of the day.

"You ok?"

Lupin looked up to see Tonks watching him carefully from the doorway. Lupin sighed and shook his head, looking into the dying embers with sad eyes.

"They've lost everything… They've lost everything and Bill…"

Tonks walked over and sat down next to him, biting her lip as she watched him struggle to keep it together.

"We couldn't have known-"

"We should have had the house guarded," Lupin snapped. "Malfoy's been quiet for so long that we let our guard down. We should have had someone there… now she's dead."

Tonks looked down at her hands, nodding. "You're right, we should have had them protected…"

"Now everything's falling apart. Ron's blaming himself for what happened to Fleur…"

"Why?"

Lupin looked over at her. "From what I heard from Fred and George, he and Bill had a little talk the night Hermione might have died. Apparently, Fleur's name was brought up when they started talking about what Ron would do if Hermione died… I think he feels guilty because he feels he was responsible for protecting Fleur for Bill…"

Tonks was silent for a while before leaning into Lupin's shoulder and resting her head against his.

"Are you scared?"

"Of course I'm scared. I'm scared that someone I love might die…"

"Like Harry?"

"You too," Lupin answered, turning so he faced her. She glanced down at his lips then leaned in and kissed him softly, letting him convey the feelings he couldn't say through the kiss. When they pulled away, she leaned her forehead against his, breathing deeply.

"I'm scared too."

* * *

Harry started, sitting up in bed suddenly and forcing Hermione off of the bed with a thud.

"Hermione?"

She looked up from the floor and nodded.

"Hi," she whispered, getting up and sitting back down on the bed.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, glancing over at the door.

Hermione bit her lip and looked down at her hands. "I… I just needed someone to talk to. And with my parent's gone, I couldn't think of anyone else to talk to," she told him as she pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs to her protectively.

Harry glanced over at Ron's bed, which was empty.

"I understand," he muttered. "What did you want to talk about?"

Hermione looked up at him, her eyes teary. "What are we going to do, Harry? How much longer are we going to have fought before…" She let the rest hang over them, knowing that saying it would give in to the power it was slowly taking over them.

Harry shook his head, looking over to the window. "It's not over yet, Hermione. We're not going to give up just because of what happened to…"

"We can't get into Hogwarts, Harry," Hermione said to Harry. "Malfoy's destroyed the bridge, gained control of Hogsmeade and has over a hundred prisoners he could use as leverage. He has the ultimate upper hand, Harry."

"There has to be another way," Harry said, ignoring Hermione completely.

Hermione stood up from the bed, glaring at her friend.

"There's no way in there, Harry! We've lost!"

"NO!" Harry screamed before the two quieted down, suddenly remembering the time of night.

Hermione sat down on the bed, her tears running down her cheeks, as she watched Harry sit back down as well.

"There's no where left… The only place left is the Ministry."

Harry looked up at her and shook his head. "No… Malfoy's doesn't have that guy in the Muggle elections for nothing… He's going to try to gain control of all of England."

"He's not that egotistical," Hermione told Harry. "He may be a ferret, but he's learned from Voldemort's mistakes…"

Harry closed his eyes and placed his head in his hands.

"We have to keep fighting…"

Hermione looked out the window, wiping away the tears.

"For how long, Harry? For how long?"

* * *

Bellatrix stepped out of the bath, watching as the bloodied water went down the drain. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked out of the bathroom to a dresser where she started searching for clothes.

"Ah, Bellatrix. You always looked ravishing in nothing."

Bellatrix smiled and took out underwear before turning around.

"And you were always such an arse," she responded.

Greyback watched her move across the room from his place in a lounge chair.

"I have what you needed," he said.

Bellatrix stopped and turned to him. "I heard you also burned down the famed Burrow."

Greyback stood up and approached her slowly, his eyes boring into hers. "I got bored."

Bellatrix placed a hand on his chest, stopping him from getting to close. "I hope you got the right ones," she told him.

Greyback looked over her with lusting eyes and then took a deep breath. "You know me better than that. Especially with those five you lent me," he responded.

Bellatrix tilted her head to the side. "Where are the vials, Fenir?"

The man shrugged. "Where's the body?"

"She's being kept in Hogsmeade until I find use for her. I hope you weren't looking forward to _having_ her."

Greyback shook his head in disgust. "That whore?" He removed her hand from his chest and then proceeded to pull her flush up against him, his lips caressing her ear. "In fact, I was turned on by the way you killed her," he whispered to her.

Bellatrix grinned as she felt his hands travel up her legs and under her towel. She closed her eyes in pleasure and pulled him closer.

"Where are the vials, Fenir?" she asked again.

"Give me the blueprints for the Ministry and I'll tell you," he growled, removing her towel as she removed his robes.

She pulled away so that she could look into his eyes. "I will give you what you need," she whispered before kissing him.

* * *

Draco watched as Bellatrix entered the Headmaster's office, her black robes billowing behind her as she strode in.

"You're late." His cold voice rang throughout the office as Bellatrix approached the desk.

"I was busy."

"Shagging Greyback?"

"You have my room watched?"

Draco shook his head and stood up, grabbing her arm and watching her flinch.

"You were always very aggressive while having a good lay," he commented, releasing her. Bellatrix shrugged.

"I enjoy casual sex once in a while," she told him.

He leaned back on his desk and watched her through expressionless eyes. "Do you know why I called you hear?"

Bellatrix flipped her hair out of her face and glared at him. "I couldn't imagine why," she responded coolly.

Draco smirked and went behind the desk, opening a drawer and pulling a black letter out.

"Do you know what this is?"

Bellatrix shook her head, watching his hands carefully, knowing his temper was subject change rapidly.

"No, but I'm assuming you're going to tell me, Draco," she answered smartly, meeting his hardened gaze.

Draco moved around the desk and went right up to her, fiddling with a strand of her hair in his pale fingers.

"These are orders for Roland," he told her, placing the letter in her hands. "I want them delivered to him now."

"What about my plan?"

Draco smiled and leaned in, their lips meeting in a searing kiss.

"Greyback has the prints?"

She nodded and he looked down at her neck, taking hold of it as he tried to think.

"Then let him attack the Ministry. It will provide a descent distraction," he said.

Bellatrix nodded and was about to leave when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him, their lips meeting heatedly, their hands roaming over each other with uncontrollable lust. He moved his lips down her jaw and up to her ear, tugging on it.

"Do you think this is casual sex?" he asked.

Bellatrix grinned, catching the hint of jealousy in his voice. She unbuttoned his robes and then pulled the shirt off of him, kissing his chest.

"Nothing with you is casual, Draco," she whispered, moving up to his neck and biting down on his pale skin.

Draco raised an eyebrow, shoving the robes off her shoulder and toying with her bra.

"Oh really?" he asked. She gasped when his hands ran over the scratches Greyback had left earlier. Draco picked her up and laid her down on the desk, straddling her as they continued their little game.

* * *

"Jonathan! Jonathan, come here," a woman called from the bottom of the spiral stairs.

"What is it, Mary?!" he shouted back from the bedroom.

"There's someone here to see you! Says it's urgent!"

Jonathan muttered under his breath and got out of bed, going down the stairs and going into his office after his wife motioned where to go.

"What is it?" he asked rudely.

The hooded figure turned away from the picture on the wall and faced the aging man.

"Hello, Jonathan," came a light woman's voice.

"What do you want?" Jonathan asked again, looking over at the clock on the wall impatiently. It was eleven at night.

"Close the door," the woman ordered.

Jonathan frowned, a cold chill running down his spine as he quietly closed the door. He heard a small click and when he tried to open the door again, it was locked. He whirled around, his eyes wide when he found himself looking into the business end of a wand. The woman pulled back her hood, revealing fake blonde hair with black highlights and bright blue eyes that flashed with a sick happiness.

"Bellatrix is _very_ upset with your progress, Jonathan. _Very_ upset," she whispered.

Jonathan held up his hands, backing up. "I'm watched all the time. I can't do everything she asks. I've given her blueprints haven't I?"

The woman shook her head. "I don't think so. You haven't fully upheld your end of the deal, Jonathan," she growled. "Bellatrix is _very_ upset. We should have gotten into the Ministry by now!" she screamed, slapping him, her nails catching his skin.

The man clutched his face in pain, his eyes wide in fear. "I'm sorry! I'll get you in! I just need more time!" he said, sinking to his feet.

The woman smiled, shaking her head. "It's too late to grovel," she sneered, pointing her wand straight at him.

Jonathan looked up at her, his eyes pleading for mercy. "Please…"

"Goodnight, Minister."


	10. Ministry of Magic

**A/N: There's only one more chapter!**

_When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?_ **-Eleanor Roosevelt**

* * *

"Oh no…"

Everyone looked up from their food, watching Hermione as she read the newspaper.

"What?" Harry asked.

Hermione looked up. "The Minister's been killed."

Mrs. Weasley gasped. "What?!"

Hermione looked over the paper. "His wife found him dead in his office at their house. It was a Death Eater attack… but listen to this. When they finally got into the office, there was a message on the wall. It said that Grindham got what was coming to him," she told them.

Harry stood up, slamming his fist on the table. "I knew it! I knew he was working with them!"

"Harry, sit down," Hermione said, flipping through the paper for the details of the disturbing story. "You shouldn't just jump to conclusions. The Ministry says that he was visited by someone."

Lupin watched her carefully. "Did the wife say who it was?"

Hermione shook her head. "No… she says that the person was wearing a hood. She also says that the person said it was urgent to speak to Grindham," she told them all.

"Sounds to me like the wife had something to do with this," Fred offered, biting into a piece of toast.

Mr. Weasley frowned and took the paper from Hermione. "I'm assuming that the wife had something to do with this too, though her alibi is that she was talking to her sister on the Floo," he said, reading the newspaper carefully.

"He was a bloody Death Eater," Harry muttered.

George was about to say something when Tonks came running into the kitchen, her hair sticking out in all directions. She hit a chair while trying to stop and fell the floor. Lupin got up and helped her stand, holding her as she tried to breathe.

"What is it, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked, concern etched on her face.

Tonks took a deep breath and looked around.

"Moody's received word that Death Eaters are appearing around London, out in the open," she told them.

"What?!" Mr. Weasley asked, standing up.

Tonks ran a hand through her hair. "Death Eaters are appearing all over the place in front of Muggles, attacking them… Malfoy's just declared open war!"

* * *

Harry found himself in the Auror department, looking around as Lupin spoke to Moody and a few Ministry officials. Hermione, Dean, Seamus, Neville and Luna were with Harry while Fred, George, Ron, Tonks, Lupin and two other Aurors stood around the exit, watching the commotion by the fountain as several officals dealt with the press.

Hermione stood close to Harry, her eyes occasionally darting across the busy area to where Ron stood with his brothers.

"Why are we here?" Seamus asked, growing increasingly bored.

"We have to see if there's been any attacks anywhere near magical zones," Hermione answered quietly.

"But why do _we_ have to be here?" Dean asked, motioning to him and the others.

"Because Mrs. Weasley doesn't want us alone in the house," Harry replied, watching Lupin and Moody.

Lupin and Moody finally stopped talking and walked over to them. "Strangely there haven't been any attacks near magical zones," Lupin told them.

"But why are they openly attacking? It makes no sense to attack Muggles and not attack anyone in the magical community. What's Malfoy trying to prove?" Harry asked.

A scream filled the air and they all froze. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm, her heart racing.

"What was that?" she asked.

Another scream split through the silence and the Aurors took out their wands, moving towards the exit to see what was going on.

"Look!" Tonks exclaimed, pointing to the fires behind the crowd of people by the fountain. The flames had started to turn blue, growing higher and higher by the second. Moody turned to some Aurors near by.

"The Floo was supposed to be shut down!" he roared, pointing to the flaming hearths.

"It was!" an older Auror answered.

"This can't be good," Fred and George muttered.

Screams filled the air as Death Eaters started pouring out of the fireplaces. Hooded figures bearing wands that started firing instantly as the giant crowd scattered, screaming and terrified. Bodies flew through the air and dropped to the ground as the Death Eaters continued to come out of the fireplaces.

"Oh no…" Harry whispered.

Moody grabbed Lupin by the arm. "Get them out of here! Now!" he ordered before turning to the Aurors on duty. "Get down there!"

Lupin grabbed Harry by the arm and shoved him towards the back of the Auror Department before grabbing the others and forcing them to follow Harry.

"Wait! We can fight!" Harry protested, stopping and turning to face Lupin.

Tonks glanced over to the other Aurors before shaking her head at Harry.

"No! If they find out that you're here they'll stop at nothing to get you. Follow Lupin," she said before jogging to catch up with the other Aurors.

Fred and George shook their heads, angry. "We can fight. We're of age!"

"We all are!" Ron added.

"No! I promised you're parents that I'd get you back to the house if something went wrong! Now go!" Lupin told them.

There was an explosion and the ground below them shook and Hermione was the first to the railing, looking over.

"There she is!"

Hermione screamed when she saw them all point their wands at her and fire. She stumbled back, barely avoiding death as the ceiling above her exploded. Someone grabbed her and pulled her back, holding her while Fred and George started firing back at the Death Eaters below.

Suddenly there was a loud screeching noise and then they were plunged into darkness.

Hermione felt someone grab her and she was about to scream when a hand fell on her mouth. She was dragged back into what she assumed was an office and the door slammed shut. She then felt hot breath on her neck that smelt like cigarettes.

"You scream and I'll kill you," whoever it was growled into her ear before she felt hands fumble around, moving under her shirt and fiddle around with her bra. She tried to shove him off but she then felt something cool and sharp slide across her throat.

"I'm warning you," he snarled, his hands tugging her shirt off. She felt lips descend on hers, and she closed her eyes, silently praying for someone to find her. She bit down hard, tasting blood. When he pulled away, she spit in the man's direction. She then fell to the ground, a stunning blow causing her to see stars as she tried to move from her spot. She felt the man straddle her, messing around with her pants before pulling them down.

That's when she started screaming, tears running down her cheeks as she tried to get away. She kicked the guy in the gut and ran only to trip over a chair and come crashing back to the ground, her head slamming against a filing cabinet and stunning her once again while pain shot from her ankle.

She heard the door open again, there was a scuffle, three flashes of light then darkness and in two minutes she saw a small white light appear.

"Hermione?"

"RON!" she sobbed from her spot on the ground. He ran over to her, picking her up and holding her as she cried.

"I thought I was going to die," she whispered into his shoulder.

He kissed her brow, handing her the shirt and pants she had lost before walking her to the door, where Harry and Neville were standing, pale and worried.

"You ok, Hermione?" Harry asked, taking her hand as more flashes of light appeared from the entrance to the Department.

"What's happening?"

Neville shook his head. "We have to get out of here before the Death Eaters gain full access to this level," he said. Just then the lights turned on and revealed more Death Eaters than they thought possible. Some Aurors were still protecting the area, but it was an obvious lost cause.

Harry shook his head, starting for the fight. "No! If we give them the Ministry then we've lost the war!"

Hermione grabbed Harry's arm. "We can't fight, Harry! We'll die! Then what?! If we all stay here and die then what?!"

"I don't want to hide anymore, Hermione!" Harry shouted.

There was a large explosion and in that moment they were faced with a choice.

Fight or Run.

There were two more explosions that happened right near the entrance to the Auror Department.

"COME ON!" Seamus bellowed, moving passed them with Luna, Fred and George. Hermione and Ron were about to follow then they realized Harry was still standing there, watching the Death Eaters surge forward.

"HARRY!" Hermione screamed, starting to go back.

"Harry, come on!" Ron screamed, holding Hermione as she tried to go back to him. "HARRY!"

The young man turned to them and seemed torn before he moved over with them. Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and they went to the back before disapparating.

* * *

Greyback came out of the flames, his black robes billowing behind him as he moved towards the fountain. Along the far wall were the prisoners, bleeding and pale.

A masked man approached Greyback and bowed.

"We've done it, sir. We've done it."

Greyback grinned, looking around.

"Good."

**A/N: I am seriously debating putting up the last chapter. It is probably the most nerve-wracking chapter in this series as well as the most highly anticipated one. Maybe in a few hours or maybe in a few minutes. I'm not exactly sure because I want to leave you all in suspense but I want to also show you what's going to happen. It's all very confusing. **

**OzDust:** Well, I'm glad you're enjoying all the drama. You'll like the next chapter.

**NairobiDawn:** Well, after the next chapter, things are going to get _very_ deep and heated.

**Wesker888:** That's basically what I was thinking, except I was trying to be a little more nice about it. I didn't want to... be rude... (Everyone knows that's not my nature) Anyway, aside from the jerk that ruined my precious five minutes, I'm glad you liked it and hope you update soon with the next chapter.

**Chapter Tease: (Maybe after you read this, then you'll want me to update speedy quick!**

_Ron took a deep breath, his face growing paler by the second. He pointed to his bed. _

_"You might want to sit down," he suggested._

_Hermione could feel the blood flood from her face as her heart started pounding against her chest so hard that she was afraid Ron could hear it. _

He's going to break up with me_, she thought as she sat down._


	11. Hermione Jane Granger

**A/N: This is the last chapter. **

_Defeat never comes to any man until he admits it._ **-****Josephus Daniels**

* * *

There was nothing anyone could say that would take away the pain and the humiliation that they had gone through when retreating. Tonks had been captured and Lupin had gone missing, while several Aurors and other officials and civilians had been captured. Greyback now ran the Ministry and now the last safe place in the wizarding world was St. Mungos which was almost impossible to gain access to, seeing as Dumbledore was the Secret Keeper. Drastic measures had to be called on to preserve this vulnerable place, and though many didn't like it, they had to agree that it was the only way to keep those inside alive. 

"I can't believe it," Harry whispered for the hundredth time.

Hermione closed her eyes. "Harry, stop. Can we please think about something else?"

Harry looked over at her. "How could you _want_ to think of anything else? Malfoy won!"

"I know, Harry! I know! Don't you think I don't know?! He has my parents!" she shouted, glaring at him.

Harry instantly felt ashamed of himself, cursing his stupidity for forgetting Hermione's parents.

"Look Hermione… I should have never-"

Hermione shook her head, sniffing and brushing away angry tears.

"It's ok… I'm just… I want to know that things are going to get better, Harry," she whispered, finally taking a sip of her tea.

"I hope things do get better," he answered.

Hermione watched him for a moment then stood up, going around the counter and pulling Harry up as well, pulling him into a much needed hug. She could feel his arms move around her tighter and she sighed.

"I bet you're wishing I was Ginny right now," she whispered.

Harry smiled slightly and shrugged. "You're nice to hold on to once in a while.

"Hermione, can I talk to you?"

They looked up to see Ron standing there, pale but a determined look on his face. Hermione frowned but nodded, glancing up at Harry, who had pulled away from her, his face pale. She got up and followed Ron up to the room he and Harry were sharing. As they walked up, all Hermione could think about is that he was going to call it off. He was going to break up with her because of what happened to Bill. Her heart started racing wildly as she bit her lip, glancing over to him. He had certainly changed since the murder, his eyes hardened and some how more icy than usual. They hadn't talked since he'd found her in the office, though that was acceptable seeing as Charlie had gone missing after there was an attack on the London Bridge just yesterday.

Charlie and a few other Aurors had been assigned to watch the area and after a stand off between them and a few Death Eaters, Charlie and two others disappeared…

They entered Ron and Harry's room and Hermione stood there, waiting for him to tell her that it was all over.

Ron took a deep breath, his face growing paler by the second. He pointed to his bed.

"You might want to sit down," he suggested.

Hermione could feel the blood flood from her face as her heart started pounding against her chest so hard that she was afraid Ron could hear it.

_He's going to break up with me_, she thought as she sat down.

Ron sat down on Harry's bed facing her, taking a deep breath.

"Look Hermione… a lot's happened in the past few days and… I don't know how to handle everything…" he muttered, looking anywhere but her.

Hermione reached out for his hand. "Ron-"

Ron held up his hand. "Let me speak," he cut in, his eyes meeting her scared ones. He sighed and looked away. "We haven't been together for a while and most of that time was spent apart wondering if the other was going to die…"

"Ron-"

"Let me speak, 'Mione," he cut in again, glaring at her for some reason. It was hard enough as it was to say what he was about to say, but when she kept on interrupting him…

Taking a deep breath, he stood up and walked over to a small dresser. "I've been thinking real hard about this relationship, Hermione and I realized that I never got to say what I was trying to that night by the shrieking shack." By this time, Hermione's heart was in her throat, doing double time as she tried to control her breathing. Ron turned around and went over to her, sitting down next to her. "I love you, Hermione."

Hermione bit her lip, tears coming to her eyes as she nodded. "I love you too, Ron, but-"

Ron placed a finger on her lips, shushing her before getting down on his knee and looking up into her wide terrified eyes.

"I don't want to make the same mistake Bill did and lose you before it's time. I don't really know what I'd do if I lost you and hadn't been able to marry you."

Hermione place a hand on her mouth, tears pouring out of her eyes. "Oh my God…"

He took her hands in his and kissed them. "I love you, Hermione… and I want to marry you."

Hermione was full on crying now, her skin pale as she just stared at him, unable to speak. Ron took a deep breath.

"Hermione Jane Granger… will you marry me?"

**The End.**

**A/N: AHHHHHHH!!!!!! **

**OzDust:** Yeah, I know, I updated faster in this one that in Stand, but don't worry. Things are going to get better, depending on how you look at it.

**blooh2:** Well... I don't think you have to worry about them breaking up.

**charma10:** I updated, but I think I might wait until the weekend is over before I start updating the last segment. Give people a chance to finish the book, because you _know_ everyone's going to finish it in one weekend.

**ronandmion4ever:** Yes, well, Stand did start out a little slow. I hope you like this!

**And Now! A glimpse of the third part of the Stand Trilogy:**

_His eyes went wide when he got to one specific page. "There's a way to get back into Hogwarts."_

_Everyone stood up. _

_"What?"_

**I'm sorry. This isn't much, but if I give you anything else, it'll give it all away!**


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